The Story of LondonWheatley, Henry B. (Henry Benjamin)
History
The Story of London
Wheatley, Henry B. (Henry Benjamin)
London (England) -- History
All the livery companies possessed a class of young unmarried members
called 'The Bachelors,' and in the Goldsmiths' Company a special place
was reserved for their lodging. This was known as Bachelors' Alley or
Court, and was situated between Foster Lane and Gutter Lane. The
lodgings were supplied at 'very small and easy rents,' the greatest not
to exceed 8s. per annum. The tenants could continue as long as they were
unmarried, but difficulties arose by reason of attempts at underletting
without authority, and disorderly persons gave much trouble. In 1595 an
order was promulgated 'that from henceforth no goldsmith shall have his
dwelling in any of the tenements in Bachelors' Alley before he be
admitted by the wardens for the time being; and that everyone so
admitted shall forthwith enter into a bond to deliver to the wardens, at
his departure, the key of his tenement, and quietly to quit possession
of the same.'
Sir Walter Prideaux states that at the early period of the first charter
the goldsmiths acted as bankers and pawnbrokers. They received pledges
not only of plate, but of other articles, such as cloth of gold and
pieces of napery. Saint Dunstan was the patron saint of the company, and
feasts were held on his day, when also bells were set ringing. This
saint's likeness in wood (gilt) formed the figure-head of the company's
barge. There was also a Chapel of St. Dunstan in St. Paul's Cathedral
which was attached to the company.
In the foregoing remarks there are some references to the livery
companies, but these are introduced more particularly on account of the
light thrown by them upon the trade of London. The work of the gilds was
devoted to the trades which they represented, but in course of time many
of the companies lost touch with the trades whose names they bore. This
largely came about in a quite natural way, and the privilege of
introduction to a company by patrimony caused the addition to the list
of freemen of a large number of those who were engaged in other
occupations.
The relative position in precedence of the various companies have
continually altered, and there is no information to show how the twelve
chief companies have attained that commanding position.
The feuds between the trades continued to comparatively late times.
Pepys relates, in 1664, how there was a fray in Moorfields between the
butchers and the weavers, between whom there had ever been a competition
for mastery. At first the butchers knocked down all the weavers that had
green or blue aprons, but at last the butchers were fain to pull off
their sleeves that they might not be known, and were soundly beaten out
of the field.[343]
Some note must be made here of the Jews and of the Italian moneylenders
who for so long carried on the financial business of the country.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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